Hardware manufacturer, Apple Inc., has agreed to settle two class action
lawsuits in Canada, by providing online store credits to buyers of some
early-generation iPod devices which suffered from dwindling battery life.

The two lead plaintiffs, Ines Lenze and Bradley Waddell, claimed that Apple had
misrepresented the early iPods as having eight to ten hours of continuous
battery life. In reality, the device’s potential battery life dwindled
significantly after being recharged several times.

Once these settlements are finalized, first- and second-generation iPod owners
whose battery life has dwindled to less than five hours, and third-generation
owners whose battery life has dropped below four hours, will be eligible for a
$44.75 credit at Apple’s online store. The settlement offers are available to
customers in Canada who purchased their iPods before June 24, 2004.

Courts in Ontario and Quebec are expected to approve the settlements next month,
and Apple is likely hoping to get the issue out of the way before launching its
long-awaited iPhone device later this year.

Apple settled a similar lawsuit in the United States in 2005, awarding a store
credit of $50, or $25 in cash, to iPod owners whose battery life had dropped
below certain levels.